B63 SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
Description
B63 encompasses the design, construction, and equipment of ships and other waterborne vessels used for transportation and marine operations. This class covers hull structures, propulsion systems, steering mechanisms, anchoring apparatus, and onboard safety equipment specific to maritime vessels. It includes ships, boats, submarines, floating structures, and associated marine engineering systems, but excludes land-based transportation modes and specialized underwater exploration equipment classified elsewhere. Related equipment for vessel operation, navigation, and maintenance falls within this broad classification.
Filing statistics
CPC B63 recorded 183,339 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 5 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 13,068 in 2013 to 18,273 in 2023 (+40%), peaking at 19,533 applications in 2022. The most active applicants in class B63 are SAMSUNG HEAVY INDUSTRIES (4,830 applications), DAEWOO SHIPBUILDING & MARINE ENGINEERING COMPANY (4,093 applications) and HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPANY (2,639 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
5 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- B63B SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING (arrangements of vessel ventilation, heating, cooling, or air-conditioning B63J2/00; floating substructures as supports of dredgers or soil-shifting machines E02F9/06)
- B63C LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS (floating nets, floating slipways, or the like for recovering aircraft from the water B63B35/52)
- B63G OFFENSIVE OR DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS ON VESSELS; MINE-LAYING; MINE-SWEEPING; SUBMARINES; AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (means of attack or defence in general, e.g. turrets F41H)
- B63H MARINE PROPULSION OR STEERING (propulsion of air-cushion vehicles B60V1/14; specially adapted for submarines, other than nuclear propulsion, B63G; specially adapted for torpedoes F42B19/00)
- B63J AUXILIARIES ON VESSELS
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filings, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- SAMSUNG HEAVY INDUSTRIES KR 4,830
- DAEWOO SHIPBUILDING & MARINE ENGINEERING COMPANY KR 4,093
- HYUNDAI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPANY KR 2,639
- GAZ TRANSPORT ET TECHNIGAZ FR 1,037
- SHANGHAI WAIGAOQIAO SHIPBUILDING COMPANY 827
- HARBIN ENGINEERING UNIVERSITY 811
- GUANGZHOU SHIPYARD INTERNATIONAL COMPANY 808
- HUDONG-ZHONGHUA SHIPBUILDING (GROUP) COMPANY 784
- YAMAHA MOTOR COMPANY JP 731
- THYSSEN KRUPP DE 727